Method of producing and attaching closures for sheet-metal containers



April 7, 1925. 1,532,891

' C. T. DRAPER METHOD OF PRODUCING AND ATTAQHING CLOSURES FOR SHEET METAL CONTAINERS Original Filed April 9. 1917 Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,532,891 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. DRAPER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DRAPER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

'METHOD OF PRODUCING AN D ATTACHING- CLOSURES FOR SHEET-METAL CONTAINERS.

Original application filed April 9, 1917, Serial No.

160,660. Patent No. 1,426,021, dated November 21,

1922. Divided and this application filed October 21, 1922. Serial No. 596,051.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. DRAPER. a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Producing and Attaching Closures for Sheet-Metal Containers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in method of producing and attaching closures for sheet-metal containers, and has for its object the economical production of an exteriorly sealed removableclosure for sheetmetal barrels andthe like, which will insure an eflicient seal, be protected from ordinary injuries and accomplish the secure and rigid attachment of the permanent closure member directly to the sheet-metal of the container. This invention is a division of my application, Serial No. 160,660, filed April 9th, 1917.

The improved construction insuredby practicing the method herein set forth insures a thoroughly eflicient and dependable closure for the openings of sheet metal barrels and the like by reason of the fact that the seal is effected by screw pressure directly against the exterior of the barrel on a seat especially provided therefor. In other words, the reinforced rim of the opening is clamped, preferably with a gasket intervening, between screw-acting members positioned respectively exteriorly and interiorly of the completed barrel, and there are no seams, joints or welds between the barrel body and its closure members, which otherwise would require liquid-tight construction.

Moreover, one of the screw-acting members, which is interiorly positioned within the container and therefore is unsubjected ordinarily to damage or displacement, is securely interlocked with the sheet-metal body itself in order to afford ample resistance to the torsion or strain of forcibly tightening the screw threads and effecting the exterior seal. This annular member preferably is positioned immediately beneath the rim of the opening and serves to reinforce the closure seat formed from the metal of the container adjacent to said opening.

I may briefly describethe product of my improved method as comprising the circularly perforated body portion of the sheet metal container having an inwardly turned rim with 'which an interiorly positioned tapped crown or malleable ring, registerin with said perforation, is securely interlocked to hold the members in fixed relation. A level annular seat is produced from the container body immediately above this ring. The seal or closure is completed by insertin a flanged screw plug within the tapped crown, whereby a gasket preferably is clamped between its flange and the seat upon the barrel body.

The details of my invention ma be more readily explained by making re erence to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing a sheet-metal barrel constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the closure members of the sheet-metal container.

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar sectional views of the perforated body portionand the reinforcing tapped crown prior to their assemblage as hereinafter described.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing these members partly assembled, and

Fig. 6 is another sectional view illustrating the complete assemblage and interl0cking of said members and the formation of the exterior annular seat.

Throughout the several figures of the rel a, the metallic head 72 thereof having two openings respectively closed by 0, 0'. Either or both of these may be constructed in accordance with my present invention, but the former isexpressly contemplated by the further description and additional figures or drawings. Thus in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 the barrel bod portion or head 6 maybe slightly elevate at b about the perforation or ingress opening (1 and the edges or lips b" are initially downturned following the perforating operation, asshown in Fig. 3.

Fig. '4' illustrates in section the tapped crown or ring 6, which convenientlymay be a malleable casting having integral lugs or securing members 6' peripherally arranged or disposed about its upper edge and adapted to be rigidly interlocked beneath the rim 6" for the purpose of securing said ring firmly in position interiorly of the barrel, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The coacting screw plug f has a flange f which is adapted to bear upon the gasket 9 interposed between the elevated rim 7) and said flange f. Accordingly,'it will be seen that the seal is effected directly with the exterior seat 6 by means of the screw-acting members e and 7,

so that there is no dependence upon any seam or weld for making the container strictly liquid-tight.

This feature will be best appreciated by those who are conversant with the art of crown, which joint of necessity must be.

liquid-tight and hence expensive to manufacture. A removable screw plug sealing upon the exteriorly positioned crown served to complete the closure. However, the weldl diflicult or method, involving the formation of an ex ing operation not infrequently was found to burn or injure the sheet metal body portion, thereby impairing and weakening it through overheating by the welding flame.

These objections are readily and econ0mi 'cally overcome by the construction just above explained. Moreover, it was freuently found that the metallic crown or ring would be slightly warped or distorted .by unequal or excessive heating during the welding operation so that an effective seal or closure of the opening was rendered impossible. -My improved t'erior sealing seat and the interior positioning and interlocking of the reinforcing ring or crown by means of indented bendable members provided thereon, not only is much.

cheaper but effectively avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

Inf assembling the closure device in accordance with my present invention, the

malleable casting e is first trued between conforming dies before placing it in the assembling die hto interlock the lugs e beneath the inturned rim 6 of the sheetmetal body portion or head, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. As thus interlocked in said assembling die the inturned rim 6 and the sheet metal seat I) are forcibly compressed so that the metal is very slightly thinned above and below the overturned lugs 0, between which are retaining indentations, so that the ring e is securely held against displacement and all twisting or turning strains. The annu-' lar seat 6' is flattened or leveled to afford and flanged screw plug.

When the members are thus assembled,

as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the ring a maintains its accurate shape and position with respect to the opening so that the screw plug may be inserted therein and secure an effective exterior seal, dependent upon the pressure exerted by these screw-acting members.- Having now described my invention and the structure and advantages attainable thereby, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following:

' 1. The herein described method for securing an anchorage member to a sheet metal structure, which consists in circularly piercing the sheet metal, flanging the edge of the circular opening thus produced, nesting a correspondingly flanged annular anchorage member with said flanged edge, one within the other, forcibly interlocking the flanged members substantially in parallel releation beneath an annular sheet metal seat, and meanwhile restraining one of said flanged members from retraction with respect to" the other to insure their complete interlocking actions 2. The herein described method for producing and attaching an exteriorlysealing closure for sheet-metal containers, which consists in providing a circular ingress opening in thewallof said container havmg an inwardly extending rim,- applyingv metal above the ring, meanwhile restraining said rim from retracting beneath the interlocking member, and inserting a closure member bearing upon said seat and securing it within the ring, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein described method for producing and attaching an exteriorly sealing closure for sheet-metal containers, which consists in forming a circular ingress opening in a wall of the container with an inwardly reverting rim, applying thereto an interiorly positioned metal ring having spaced bendable members, forcibly inter locking said rim and members to rigidly unite them, forming a plane sealing seat from the sheet metal peripherally of the opening, meanwhile restraining said rim from retracting beneath the interlocking member, and inserting a closure part having 5 an enlarged head in sealing relation with signature.

CHARLES T. DRAPER. 

